An airstrike in Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah state, left at least 31 civilians dead after targeting a mosque, according to local activists.
The attack came amid rising tensions and clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the region.
The strike occurred shortly after evening prayers at the Sheikh El Jeili mosque in the western extension neighborhood, with barrel bombs reportedly used in the attack.
The Wad Madani Resistance Committees released a statement confirming 31 casualties, 15 of whom have been identified, while many body parts remain unrecognizable.
This escalation follows the defection of Abu Aqla Kikal, the RSF’s former commander for Al Jazirah state, who joined the army.
His defection led to RSF retaliation in eastern Al Jazirah, with multiple assaults on villages, particularly Tambul, Rufaa, and El Geneid El Hilla.
The Rufaa Resistance Committees confirmed that 20 civilians died in the attacks, including 10 in Tambul, where a female doctor was among the victims.
Reports of the RSF arresting and torturing suspected loyalists of Kikal also surfaced on social media, further intensifying concerns about violence and human rights violations in the region.
Since the RSF seized control of Al Jazirah in December, the eastern parts of the state had seen relatively fewer atrocities due to Kikal’s influence.
The SAF has been accused of launching indiscriminate airstrikes across RSF-controlled areas in Sudan, with many civilian casualties.
Activists and humanitarian organizations are calling for an end to the violence, which has led to widespread destruction and loss of life across the country.